Subject:
Title
Consideration to Initiate Robinson Sidewalk Projects
Body
EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
Former Councilmember Maud Robinson, who passed away last year just shy of her 97th birthday, left the bulk of her estate to the Town of Vienna for the specific purpose of building sidewalks, over a five-year period, in areas where they aren’t already planned or likely to be funded through grants or new construction.
The Town of Vienna is identifying streets, where curb and gutter already exists, on which sidewalks may be installed. The potential streets to be considered are below with staff recommendations for locations:
• Odd side of DeSale Street SW from Moore Street to Tapawingo Road - $70,000
• Even side of DeSale Street SW from Tapawingo Road to end - $55,000
• Odd side of Melody Lane SW from DeSale Street to Lullaby Lane - $65,000
• Even side of Cherry Street SW from Courthouse Road to Cottage Street - $60,000
• Even side of Tazewell Road NW from Lawyers Road to Holmes Drive - $70,000
• Even side of Delano Drive SE from Echols Road to end - $65,000
• Even side of Orrin Street SE from Delano Drive to Follin Lane - $90,000
Citizens were provided with surveys asking if they supported a sidewalk on their side of the street. The results are shown in the attached file called Presentation Maps.pdf as well as all email and other feedback the Town has received from citizens. Additionally, citizen meetings were held on July 28 and 30 at which staff facilitated discussions with residents about potential sidewalks and the benefits and impacts of such projects. As demonstrated in the feedback and survey results, there is a mixture of support and non-support on various streets. Among concerns raised from citizens who do not support sidewalks, the most common include:
- Trees that could be affected
- The sidewalk is too disruptive to yards, too close to the houses
- Not necessary - people use the streets safely
- Driveways are already short; adding sidewalk would take away room for parking on the driveway
- Residents would feel newly obligated to maintain around the sidewalk (grass trimming, shoveling snow)
- Would encourage criminals or uninvited people closer to homes
In creating its recommendations, staff considered carefully all feedback received as well as the benefits and safety improvements provided by sidewalks. Staff considered the following Town’s guiding documents as well:
o Town Council’s Strategic Plan initiative for a safe and efficiently mobile community.
o Pedestrian Master Plan that is designed to help achieve the Town’s vision for an integrated network of pedestrian routes.
o Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Chapter, Pedestrian Mobility section - Improve pedestrian network throughout Town by connecting and expanding the existing sidewalk network.
Staff’s professional recommendation is that Council approve sidewalks on the side of the streets listed above. Staff is committed to ensuring that designs will be practical yet creative and flexible to mitigate and address as many of residents’ concerns as possible.
Property owners and residents along the above streets were notified of this meeting via a letter dated August 31, 2020.
Should Council choose to initiate sidewalk projects for any or all of the above streets, then staff will continue with further community engagement and procure professional engineering services to begin scoping and designing construction documents. At its February 24, 2020 meeting, Council approved up to $500,000 for engineering services for Robinson sidewalk projects, utilizing RFP 19-01 On-call Engineering Services. Therefore, upon Council approval, staff can immediately begin engineering.
Strategic Plan Initiative: Vienna is a safe community and an efficiently mobile community
Departmental Recommendation: Recommend approval.
Finance Recommendation: Recommend approval.
Purchasing Recommendation: N/A
Town Attorney Recommendation: Town Council may approve the proposed Robinson Trust Fund funding request for sidewalks in its discretion.
Town Manager's Recommendation: I recommend the Town Council authorize me to apply to the Maud Robinson Trust for design of sidewalk project on the streets that have no more than 49% opposition on the respective street, as presented.
Cost and Financing: TBD (NTE $500,000)
Account Number: 300-000-0000-39445-48801 and 48803
Decision Needed by This date: September 14, 2020
PROPOSED/SUGGESTED MOTION
Recommended Action
"I move to authorize the Town Manager to apply to the Maud Robinson Trust for design of sidewalk projects on the following streets: (identify streets here).”
Or
Other action deemed necessary by Council.